Luka

Luka is a form of Luke used in several European naming traditions, including Croatian, Serbian, Slovenian, and Russian. It belongs with Luca and Lucas in the name family traditionally meaning “from Lucania,” a region of southern Italy. Its k spelling is an established language form, rather than simply a recent alteration of Luca.

The two-syllable pronunciation LOO-kuh gives Luka a different ending from the one-syllable Luke. Parents choosing between Luka and Luca may want to consider a family’s language or heritage as well as the appearance of the letters. Both spellings have their own records in popularity data. The “light” meaning sometimes given to Luka reflects an alternative explanation of Luke’s roots, rather than another certain meaning to add to “from Lucania.”